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Germany Begins Trial against Syrian Officer Accused of Crimes against Humanity

Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan (AFP)
Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan (AFP)
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Germany Begins Trial against Syrian Officer Accused of Crimes against Humanity

Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan (AFP)
Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan (AFP)

The first trial worldwide on state torture in Syria started in Germany. On Thursday morning, the Federal Public Prosecutor began the prosecution before the Higher Regional Court in the German city of Koblenz.

Senior public prosecutor Jasper Klinge said it was imperative in Germany because of historical responsibility that no crimes against humanity should be accepted.

The principle of universal law in international criminal law allows prosecution against any suspected war crimes committed by foreigners in other countries, added Klinge.

Anwar R. is charged with being complicit in the torture of at least 4000 people between 2011 and 2012 when he worked as the lead interrogator at a detention center in Damascus. This torture resulted in the death of 58 people.

It is noteworthy that Anwar R.’s trial had started in Germany in April 2020.

In February 2020, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court sentenced Eyad A. to four and half years in prison, while Anwar R.’s trial continues.

The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office charged Anwar R. and Eyad A. with crimes against humanity in October 2019.

According to the judge, Eyad A., during his presence in Syria in 2011, contributed to bringing 30 Arab Spring demonstrators for torture at a facility run by Anwar R.

It is expected that the verdict in this historic case, which is being pursued by many Syrians, will be issued on January 13th.

German federal prosecutors have demanded a life sentence for the former Syrian intelligence officer accused of “crimes against humanity.”

Anwar R. has sought refuge in Germany after fleeing his country in 2012, and he has been on trial since April 23, 2020 before the Koblenz Court on charges of torturing detainees in a secret detention center in Damascus.

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Trump Administration Says Harvard May Lose Ability to Enroll Foreign Students

People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
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Trump Administration Says Harvard May Lose Ability to Enroll Foreign Students

People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP

The US Department of Homeland Security said Harvard University will lose its ability to enroll foreign students if it does not meet demands from the Trump administration to share information on some visa holders, marking the government's latest escalation against the educational institution.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also announced on Wednesday the termination of two DHS grants totaling more than $2.7 million to Harvard, Reuters said.
Noem said she wrote a letter to Harvard demanding records on what she called the "illegal and violent activities" of Harvard's foreign student visa holders by April 30.
"And if Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students," Noem said in a statement.
A Harvard spokesperson said the university was aware of Noem's letter "regarding grant cancellations and scrutiny of foreign student visas."
The spokesperson said the university stood by its statement earlier in the week to "not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights" while saying it will comply with the law.
President Donald Trump's administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian campus protests against US ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza after a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants.
Trump casts the protesters as foreign policy threats who are antisemitic and sympathetic to Hamas. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly conflates their advocacy for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with support for extremism and antisemitism.
The Trump administration is also attempting to deport some foreign protesters and has revoked hundreds of visas across the country.
"With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos - DHS won't," Noem said, adding an "anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology" existed at Harvard.
Harvard has previously said it worked to fight antisemitism and other prejudice on its campus while preserving academic freedoms and the right to protest.
TRUMP'S CRACKDOWN
The Trump administration said late last month it was reviewing $9 billion in federal contracts and grants to Harvard and later called for restrictions - including a mask ban and removal of diversity, equity and inclusion programs - to be put in place for the university to continue receiving federal money.
Harvard on Monday rejected numerous demands that it said would cede control to the government. The Trump administration subsequently said it was freezing $2.3 billion in funding.
Trump also threatened on Tuesday to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. CNN reported on Wednesday the US Internal Revenue Service was making plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard and that a final decision was expected soon.
Harvard said there was no legal basis to rescind its tax-exempt status, saying such an action will be unprecedented, will diminish its financial aid for students and will lead to abandonment of some critical medical research programs.
Human rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the crackdown by the government.
The Trump administration has frozen or canceled some funding for universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell and Northwestern as well.
It has also threatened to withhold funding over culture war issues such as DEI programs and transgender policies.